


Last Remorse

by cup_of_comfort



Category: King's Raid (Video Game)
Genre: (...somewhat?), Accidental Bonding, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Childhood Friends, Friends to Lovers, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, seems like i like this tag a little too much..., where Esker never left Stardust
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-12
Updated: 2020-12-12
Packaged: 2021-03-10 16:41:42
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 9,627
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28030332
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cup_of_comfort/pseuds/cup_of_comfort
Summary: Esker doesn't want any more regrets. —esker/lucias, canon divergence in a/b/o universe(reposted)
Relationships: Esker/Lucias (King's Raid)
Comments: 2
Kudos: 12





	Last Remorse

**Author's Note:**

> another commission done for [rialynkv](https://twitter.com/rialynkv). Thank you so much!!!
> 
> this took me quite some time to finish, and basically turned into a monstrosity lol. i reposted it as a whole due to me moving and might not be able to keep updating, so... here is it, the whole thing! 
> 
> enjoy everyone! comments always appreciated (≧◡≦) ♡

1: ten/eleven

The village that became Stardust's current destination was so  _ plain _ , Esker didn't even understand why Lonian decided to come and do a show here. It was a small, suburban village that relied on farming and fresh water fishing, not so prosperous but not so poor either.

Stardust hadn't been doing so well lately—their shows in the last two towns they visited didn't earn enough income to feed all of the troupe members—Esker ended up giving up most of his food ration to the younger children. Seeing their smiles was worth it for Esker, even though the hunger was gnawing on him right now as he walked through the market.

The place was bumbling with people walking through crowds, merchants and peddlers yelling to attract buyers. Nobody would really notice a child like him, so Esker casually walked between the crowd, eyes darting back and forth to search for a target to pickpocket. Desperate times called for desperate measures, after all.

He found it rather quickly—a man stuffing his changes carelessly into his back pocket, an easy pick. Esker followed him for a while, before his nimble fingers swiped a couple of gold coins, worth at least three loaves of freshly baked bread. He could eat some and bring the rest back home for the children...

"Hey, mister! You dropped your coins!"

Suddenly a young boy's voice startled Esker, and he was surprised when the coins disappeared from his hands as the boy took them, chased the man and handed the coins back to him. Esker's first instinct was to run away, but he didn't get too far when the boy quickly returned and held his hand.

Esker jerked his hand away in alarm. "Don't touch me!" He hissed. How could he take back the coins Esker had swiped without him noticing? "What the hell are you doing?"

The boy—with pale blond hair and pale skin and a pair of mismatched eyes, one purple and the other blue—blinked at him innocently. "I'm returning the coins that're supposed to belong to that man," he said. "It's not good to steal—father and mother taught me so!"

Esker gritted his teeth in frustration. This boy, who grew up with privilege, with a loving family and probably went to sleep with a full belly every night—and he  _ dared _ to speak to him about how stealing was bad?

He was about to retort back when his stomach growled loudly. They went silent for a while before the boy asked. "Are you hungry?"

Esker blushed in humiliation, clutching his stomach. "...it's none of your business," he said bitterly, only for his stomach to growl louder.

"Here!" The boy rummaged into the paper bag he was holding and thrusted an apple onto his face.

Esker blinked, confused. "What?"

"The apple, it's for you! You're hungry, right?" The blond boy smiled, and something  _ warm _ crept into Esker's heart. "I'll give you this so you won't have to steal!"

Esker was taken aback. "But... It's yours," he replied weakly. He was one of the eldest children in the troupe, just second to Lonian—so he was more used to  _ giving _ than to  _ be given _ .

However the boy insisted, and Esker reluctantly took the apple and bit into it. The sweet, tart taste of the apple filled his mouth immediately, and he took another bite, and another... until the core was only what was left of the apple. Esker wiped the juice off his lips with the back of his hand, satisfied. It didn't quite fill his stomach that much, but he felt much better than before.

"How is it?" The boy asked after he was done eating. "It's delicious, isn't it?"

"...it's not bad," Esker murmured, casting his gaze downwards. He felt embarrassed all of sudden. "T-Thank you."

"You're welcome!" The boy said cheerfully, before his brows furrowed cutely. “Come to think of it, I’ve never seen you here before... Are you new here in town?”

“I just came here last night,” Esker explained. “Did you see the circus tent in the square? I’m a member of that circus.”

“Ah!” The boy exclaimed. “I saw the flyer they gave to us! It looks really fun, but...” His expression deflated quickly. “I... don’t have the money to purchase the ticket,” he gave Esker a sad smile, but he perked up as fast as he deflated. “Are you a helper in the circus?”

Esker frowled. “Hey, I also perform there!” He took out a small foam ball from his pocket and showed it to him. Clutching the ball in one hand, Esker opened his palm and pretended to throw the ball to the air. Instead, it disappeared, and a small shower of confetti erupted from his hand.

The blond’s face instantly lightened up, his eyes shining in awe and happiness. “That’s—” he gasped. “That’s so  _ cool _ !”

Esker felt himself smiling proudly. “You can see more if you attend our show... Oh,” Esker just remembered that the boy said that he didn’t have money to purchase the tickets. He rummaged his pocket and pulled out a ticket, giving it to the boy. “Here. You can use it for tonight’s show.”

The boy blinked. “Can—Can I really have this?”

Esker nodded. “You gave me the apple, so... I’ll let you come and see our show for free, just for tonight,” he said, before noticing that the boy was still looking at him with a wide, sincere grin, making him blush. “A-Anyway! It starts at seven, so don’t be late!” Esker turned and walked away to return to the tent for preparations, but the boy’s voice stopped him from leaving.

“Wait!” He exclaimed. “I’m Lucias—what’s your name?”

“Esker,” he replied. “My name’s Esker. I’ll see you tonight, Lucias.”

And with a parting wave, he left, wondering at the happiness he felt the moment he learnt the blond’s name.

  
  


* * *

2: eleven/twelve

A year had passed since his first meeting with Lucias, and here they were again, in Lucias's small village to do a show. Thankfully, Stardust had gotten better since then, so Lonian decided that this time they'd stay for a week instead of three days. That made Esker perk up, actually—he was looking forward to meet with Lucias and spending some time with him again. 

After making sure his preparations for tonight's show were finished, Esker immediately headed towards the secret fishing spot Lucias showed him before he left—a small river, located in the outskirts of the village that Esker saw whenever the caravan passed through to enter the village. Last year, Lucias taught him to fish (and teased him when he knew Esker despised worms and bugs more than anything) and made him a simple dish out of the fish they got; a 'silver catfish' that Lucias skilfully cleaned and grilled, with just a few drops of lemon juice that the blond boy brought as seasoning.

Esker knew he finally found the definition of  _ delicious _ at the first bite.

When it's time to leave, Lucias promised him that he would make Esker the dish again if he ever came back here—so here he was.

The river and its surroundings were silent when Esker arrived, the water rippling slightly whenever the wind blew, creating the pleasant sounds of leaves rustling. He sat below a tree, waiting for Lucias to come.

But until the sky grew dark and the clock in the square rang six times—6 o'clock, Esker thought to himself—Lucias didn't show up. Even though he said that he would come here when Stardust returned...

Esker buried his face on his knees, trying to hold back his disappointment. There were a lot of reasons that Esker could make up about why Lucias didn't show up, but he didn't want to think about them right now.

He got up and brushed his pants from the dirt and grass and walked away, occasionally looking back in hopes that Lucias suddenly decided to appear, but until he got out of the area, the blond was still nowhere to be found.

Esker sighed. He decided he would try again tomorrow.

  
  


"Hey, Esker, you got a visitor."

They had just finished their show for the night—Esker was preparing to change out of his stage costume and head to bed early when Lonian told him.

"Who is it?" Esker asked. The other performers—mostly children—almost all stopped what they were doing and glanced at Esker curiously.

"How should I know?" Lonian shrugged. "A blond boy, probably the same age as you. He has really weird eyes, says he knows you and insists—hey, wait, Esker!"

The mint-haired boy had already run out of the tent before Lonian finished his sentence. His eyes searched for the familiar figure, until he spotted a tuft of pale hair standing near the entrance.

"Lucias!"

Upon hearing his name, Lucias lifted his head, and his expression changed into a wide, happy smile. "Esker!" He replied, waving a hand.

Esker approached the blond. He still looked the same like Esker remembered him a year ago; his shiny, mismatched purple-and-blue eyes, his smile, his slim figure—

His eyes stopped at Lucias's bandaged right ankle. "What happened?"

"Ah—" Lucias scratched his cheek sheepishly. "I... suppose you don't know yet; I just started training to become a knight! But I got too careless..." He chuckled nervously. "I ended up hurting myself earlier so I can't go to the river today. Even though I promised you that I'll come to the river when the circus returns..."

"Don't mind that!" Esker cut him off. "Are you alright? Did you hurt yourself anywhere else?"

"N-No! The medics checked on me earlier, and aside of a light sprain, I'm fine!" Lucias explained.

Esker suddenly hugged Lucias, startling the blond. "Thank Lua," he whispered, tightening his hold. "Thank Lua you're alright."

"E-Esker...?" Lucias asked, flustered, but he slowly raised his arms and patted Esker's back gently. "Are you that worried about me?"

Esker paused. He had no reason to be  _ that _ worried about Lucias—he was just someone who caught him stealing and became a friend. Now that he thought of it—why was he looking forward to meet with Lucias so much?

"Of course I am," Esker frowned, narrowing his eyes at Lucias. "Even if it's just a light sprain, it can get worse if you don't take good care of it." He knelt down and gently held the bandaged ankle. "...good, it's not swollen."

"I told you the medics cleared me to go, so I should be fine," Lucias pouted.

"But you  _ walked _ here; dummy," Esker stood up and lightly bonked Lucias's head. "I'll take you back home. Come on, I'll give you a piggyback ride."

Even only with minimum lighting that came from the tent, Esker could see Lucias blush. "I don't need a piggyback ride home—I want to stay here with you, Esker!" He protested. "I... I want to spend the night with you, if it's allowed," he added reluctantly. "...can I?"

Esker wanted to refuse, but... seeing Lucias's expression, how could he? The mint-haired boy sighed. "Just for one night, alright?"

The blond's face instantly brightened, and Esker quietly swallowed down the joy bubbling up his chest. "Let's go to the sleeping quarters, then," he said. "Do you want to lean on me?"

"It's okay—ow!" Lucias grimaced as he tried following Esker, wincing when he put pressure on his injured ankle. Esker sighed, and then with a swoop, he picked up Lucias bride-styled, making the blond squeak in surprise. "E-Esker, put me down! I can walk by myself!"

"You can't, so stop protesting," Esker said. Thankfully, Lucias was slim enough that he was as light as Esker had thought. "It'll be just the troupe's members looking, and they won't say anything."

When Esker showed back up in the tent with Lucias on his arms, of course Lonian and the troupe members gave him various looks. Some were confused, the others amused, but Esker ignored them all and took Lucias to their communal sleeping quarters, putting the blond on his bed. Some of the younger children who were already on their bunks peered curiously.

“Who’s that?” One of the children asked.

"Is that the person you keep talking about, Esker- _ nii _ ?" A small girl with purple hair approached them, grabbing at Esker's arm.

"...go to sleep, all of you," Esker shooed them gently, and knelt down so he was face-level with the girl. “Ophelia, I know I promised you to read the bedtime story today, but... I have to be with him tonight, alright? I’ll read you the story tomorrow.”

The girl, Ophelia, pouted with tears brimming on her eyes. “But you promised...!”

“I’m sorry, Ophelia. Just tonight, please? Lucias needs me tonight. He’ll go home tomorrow, so I can read the stories to you. Okay?” Esker patted Ophelia’s head gently and gave her a peck on the forehead before standing up, “Come on, I’ll tuck you in. Everyone else, go to sleep!”

Disgruntled murmurs could be heard around, but the children begrudgingly retreated back to their beds, while Esker escorted Ophelia to her own bed, tucking her in and dimmed the lights before going back to Lucias. “...sorry that you have to see that,” Esker murmured in a low voice, embarrassed.

“It’s okay!” Lucias giggled. “It’s good to see a different side of you, Esker. Besides... I’m the one who has to apologise, since I practically barged in here...” the blond said sheepishly. “...you have to break your promise to that little girl.”

“You mean Ophelia? Really, it’s alright,” Esker climbed onto the bed and sat beside Lucias. “I read her bedtime stories sometimes since she joined us. If I don’t read to her today, there’s still tomorrow,” he pushed Lucias to lie down on the bed. “Go to sleep, Lucias. We all start early—make sure you get some sleep before I take you back home.”

“...you too, then, Esker,” Lucias tugged on Esker’s sleeve. “Sleep?”

“I’ll sleep near the stables tonight,” Esker said. “The bed’s too small for us both, Lucias, and you’re hurt; I don’t want to accidentally injure you further.”

“It’s fine, really!” Lucias tugged harder, and Esker had no choice but to get back on the bed. “If we sleep side by side, I’m sure we’ll both fit! Here,” he lay down on his side. “If I hug you from behind, both of us can sleep here!”

Esker blushed. Well, he  _ wasn’t _ wrong, but... Esker had to stick  _ really _ close to Lucias for that to happen. “I don't think that's a good idea, Lucias," he finally muttered.

Under the dimming lights, Esker could see Lucias's expression wilted. "...oh," he said, disappointed. "Um... Alright, if you don't want to sleep with me."

Lucias was giving him  _ that _ expression again. Esker almost groaned in frustration, before he finally plopped down beside Lucias. He gestured for Lucias to face the wall before putting his arms around the blond's waist, pulling him flush against his body. "...there," Esker frowned. "Happy?"

Esker couldn't see his face now, but it was clear that Lucias was  _ happy _ . The blond let out a sigh, touching Esker's hand lightly with his. "Good night, Esker," he whispered. "...sweet dreams."

Esker went quiet, not responding to Lucias's words, until the room was filled with silent snores and quiet breathings. He squeezed Lucias's waist and whispered, with a sliver of smile on his lips. "Sweet dreams for you too, Lucias."

  
  


* * *

3: fourteen/fifteen

Esker presented as an Alpha a few months before they came to Lucias's hometown again for their yearly show.

His first rut was... excruciating, to sum it in one word. It came violently, so suddenly, without warning, that Lonian had to restrain him and lock him away in the storage room to keep the other children safe. To be honest, everything during that period was a blur to Esker—until he woke up on the third day half-naked, supplies torn and thrown across the room and claw marks on the door. Although in his haze, Esker could only remember one thing; that his mind was screaming for—

_ —Lucias _ .

When Stardust finally arrived at Lucias's hometown, Esker didn't even wait until they finished building the main tent to go to the river. Lucias had been waiting at the bank, hugging his knees as he put the fishing rod aside.

"Lucias!"

Lucias turned to face Esker, and his mismatched eyes brightened. "Esker! You came earlier than I thought. I was thinking that I'll be able to catch a fish and grill it before you came..."

The younger teen shook his head. "It's alright—I arrived early, after all," he sat beside Lucias and crossed his legs.

They sat in comfortable silence for a while before Lucias asked. "Esker... Did you present?"

"...oh," Esker blinked, certainly didn't expect Lucias to ask about it. But Lucias was a year older than him—he must've presented earlier and had smelled his scent. "Yeah, um... I actually presented as an Alpha a few months before coming here. It was... scary." He admitted. "How about you, Lucias?"

Come to think of it, Lucias had  _ never _ talked about him presenting—Esker presenting at age fourteen was already considered a late bloomer, so the blond should have his dynamic revealed earlier.

Lucias fidgeted, uncomfortable. He looked unsure as he fiddled with his fingers awkwardly. “I...” He hesitated, but then closed his eyes and blurted out. “I’m an Omega, Esker.”

Esker breathed in. “An.. Omega?”

Lucias nodded quickly. “I presented two years ago, just a few days after you left the town,” he muttered. “It was a disaster. Everybody expected me to drop out of my knight training as soon as I presented, but... I don't want to," he bit his lower lip. "I'm lucky that the commander is an open-minded Alpha, so I can continue my training. But..." The blond averted his gaze away from Esker. "You... must've thought that I'm disgusting, right? Now that you know I'm an Omega?"

"No!" Esker approached Lucias and forced the older teen to face him. "Lucias, you—you're important to me, whether you're an Omega or an Alpha," he pulled Lucias into a hug, startling the blond  _ and _ himself. “You’re not a lesser human by being an Omega. You’re still the Lucias I know,” Esker gritted his teeth.

Lucias went silent for a while, but he finally circled his arms around Esker’s torso as well. “...thanks, Esker,” he muttered. “I’m glad.”

They spent the rest of the week sticking close to each other; whenever Stardust wasn’t doing a show, they met on the riverbank to fish. Lucias spent a few nights sleeping side-by-side with Esker in Stardust's tent, torsos touching and legs tangling together.

Until the week was up and it was time for Esker to leave. On the last day, they sat side-by-side at the riverbank, their hands lightly touching. "...do you really have to leave?" Lucias asked with a sad tone.

Esker went silent. "...I'll be back next year, as always," was his only reply. To be honest, he also didn't want to leave—or he was hoping that Lucias would be able to leave the village with him—but it would be incredibly selfish to do so. Instead, he took Lucias's hand in his and squeezed.

"I don't..." Lucias started, before he stopped himself. He bit his lower lip and finally shook his head. "...no, never mind. You promise?"

The mint-haired teen nodded. "Next year, as always," he promised. 

  
  


"...Esker, I need to talk to you."

Esker looked up to see Lonian hovering above him as he applied medicinal herbs on his arm injury. "What is it?" He asked, staring at the leader's serious expression. "I'm not in trouble, am I?"

"Esker, you've never made a mistake like this," Lonian said. "You could've died back then."

"I'm not, so stop fussing," Esker bandaged his wound, grimacing. "I was just... distracted for a bit there."

"Was it because of that Omega? Lucias?"

Esker tensed, before turning towards Lonian and glared. "Don't drag Lucias into this."

"I  _ need _ to! Since our last visit, you've been distracted a lot. The next mistake might cost you a limb or worse, your life!" Lonian exclaimed, but then he lowered his voice. "...you changed since you presented as Alpha."

"I'll take it as a compliment," Esker shrugged. "Why are you bringing up Lucias, anyway?"

"That person is an Omega, and now, you presented as an Alpha," Lonian sat in front of him. "You literally only met him  _ four _ times, Esker, and you've grown even closer to him than any of Stardust's members. Not even me, or Ophelia."

Esker scrunched his eyebrows. "What are you trying to say, Lonian?"

Lonian stared straight at him. "...is it possible that he's your fated pair?"

There was a pause in the air afterwards. "You're joking." Esker deadpanned.

"Not this time," Lonian shook his head. "I'm looking out for you, Esker, as a friend and fellow Alpha. You've got a year until we go back to his village—think it over, and make your decision. I'll support you whatever choice you take." He stood up and left the room, leaving Esker alone and dumbfounded.

Now that Esker thought about it—ever since he first knew Lucias, even though they met in an unpleasant circumstances, Esker had always felt  _ weird _ towards Lucias. Like the strong urge to meet him, and the reluctance to part with him when it's time for Stardust to leave the village—it all made sense now.

Esker clutched on his chest, trying to ignore the stabs of dread that filled his mind. While the idea of being Lucias's fated pair made him ecstatic, Lucias might not think the same way as him, especially at how his Omega status bothered Lucias so much.

It was probably better for him to keep his distance with Lucias. For himself, and the Omega's sake, too.

  
  


* * *

4: fifteen/sixteen

To others, it might look like a blessing. To Esker, however, the Lu Etrona dice that he inherited out of the blue, on his fifteenth birthday—because he was the descendant of Hexipolia—was an inevitable curse.

Stardust flourished because of those dice. They made Esker capable of creating wonderful illusions to awe the audiences, making the circus even more popular and even attracted both Orvel and the Empire's attention. Lonian, thankfully, decided that they should keep Stardust's alignment neutral; neither siding to Orvel nor the Empire.

However, with those abilities came a high price—every night, Esker's sleep was riddled with endless nightmares, be it a simple, petty scare, to serious issues like being forced to leave Stardust—his family—behind. He could still hear the other children's cries and Ophelia's sobs haunting him even when he was awake.

The worst of those nightmares involved Lucias.

It always began happily; him, with a smiling Lucias nestled in his arms, as the Omega cradled their newly-born child, with messy mint-coloured hair like his and bright blue eyes like Lucias's. His thumb stroked Lucias's cheek and Esker bent down to place an affectionate kiss on his forehead—

—only to feel coldness against his lips, and when he opened his eyes, he saw Lucias bleeding to death, his mismatched eyes dull and lifeless, their child lay not far from Lucias with blood pooling under. Esker brought his trembling hands to view and saw that they were both covered in blood.

He gasped and stepped backwards, away from the bloody horror scattered in front of him. Esker knew that it was all the illusion's fault—Lucias wasn't dead, and they certainly had no child together—but it was so vividly presented to him that he feared they would become reality, one day.

_ They died because of you _ , someone whispered with a voice that eerily mimicked his.

Esker shook his head and covered both of his ears. "Lucias—Lucias isn't dead," he gasped.

_ Not  _ **_yet_ ** , it whispered again.  _ He will be, someday. And all because of you. The perfect family you've been longing for, destroyed because of your fault— _

"Shut up,  _ shut up _ !" Esker yelled, clutching on his head. "Get out of my dreams!"

_ You can never get rid of me, now that the dice are yours, _ the voice chuckled.  _ Sleep tight, Esker _ .

Esker woke up drenched in cold sweat and gasping for breath, his fingers clutching the sheets until his knuckles went white. He stumbled over to the bathroom to empty his stomach and headed to the basin to rinse his mouth, before he looked at his own reflection in the mirror.

He looked terrible, with his purple eyes now sunken, dark circles surrounding them. His lips were dry and cracked, and his face pale. It had only been two weeks since he inherited the dice—he'd die if he didn't do something to control the nightmares.

Esker gritted his teeth and splashed cold water on his face, glaring at the mirror afterwards.

"I'll overcome you," Esker hissed. "Just you wait, Hexipolia."

  
  


* * *

5: twenty-three/twenty-four

Stardust never went back to Lucias’s village to do their yearly show since, as Esker requested. He never met Lucias since the day he vowed to overcome his nightmares—but Lucias always managed to surprise him even from afar.

Lucias was chosen as the High Priest when he was nineteen. It quickly became an uproar in the world, because there was no record of an  _ Omega _ ascending as the High Priest—and yet, there Lucias was, chosen by the Goddess of Lua. Esker still remembered when he heard the news and saw the photos of Lucias in his High Priest attire, standing in front of Orvel's Church of Lua—he had never felt so proud before.

His fated pair flourished on his own, even without Esker by his side.  _ He doesn't need me, _ Esker thought bitterly.  _ Lucias is better off with another Alpha _ .

Eight years passed in a blink of an eye, and now Stardust became the biggest circus the world had ever known. The child performers grew up—some left, and the others stayed, like Esker and Ophelia, creating magic shows wherever they went. Esker stopped performing, though—instead, he used his 'talent' of illusion to deal card games and attract people who desire more challenges. It was an easier way to make more money, and with times, his name was known amongst underground gamblers;  _ if you want a challenge, try beating the Illusionist Gambler from Stardust _ , people whispered.

Stardust's next show was in the City of Orvel, which unfortunately, coincided with Lucias's return from his journey. To be honest, Esker didn't look forward to it; because his stupid instinct would tell him to go and seek Lucias in the Church of Lua. It wasn't the first time Stardust's destination coincided with Lucias's, and Esker was usually good at suppressing the urge, but this time, he thought—maybe going once wouldn't be so bad. Although he would just observe Lucias from afar now, to see what the blond was up to, or how did he look like now.

He probably wouldn't admit it out loud; but Esker missed Lucias greatly. Every year, on Lucias's birthday, Esker sent the Omega a magic card that would explode with a shower of confetti when opened—just like the first magic trick he performed to Lucias—and while Lucias always sent him letters, he never replied, although he read all of the letters and kept them pristine in a locked box. Esker treasured them a lot, using them as a reminder about his vow—and his last promise to Lucias.

With that thought, Esker slipped out in the afternoon, wearing a white robe with hood over his head to hide most of his face and headed towards the church. He knew a secret way that led inside the church building and directly into the chapel, where it was usually empty in the weekdays, since people who came for blessings from the Great Priestess gathered inside the worship hall.

"...how's your trip this time?"

Esker quickly ducked behind a pillar when he heard a man's voice, pulling his hood down. Silently he took out his dice and casted an illusion magic to hide himself, before peering out to see two men facing each other at the entrance of the chapel.

"It's the same as always, really. I don't see the point in your question about this every time I come home, Brother Baudouin."

Lucias stood there, still clad in his High Priest's attire with his pale blond hair a little unruly and his face tired. Even so, Esker felt his breath caught in his throat—he had only seen Lucias from the newspaper until now, and in eight years since Esker avoided him, the Omega had grown into a gorgeous young man. A wave of nostalgia and longing washed over Esker as Lucias's Omega scent reached him, enough to make his chest hurt.

"Aw, don't be so tense, Little Lucias. Bet you're cranky because of the insolent Alphas, since you went to the border between Vespia and Penteonia, hm?" the other man—an Alpha from his scent, whom Lucias called 'Baudouin' before—draped an arm on Lucias's shoulders. Esker almost growled at the sight.

"...it's nothing, really..." Lucias looked annoyed, but he didn't do anything to shrug Baudouin off. "I'm fine. It's just that I didn't find what I was promised from the dealer..." His nose twitched. "...what's this scent...?"

Esker clutched at his chest, feeling his breath getting shorter as the pain in his chest grew. He was about to leave when he suddenly heard Lucias gasp, and the air inside the chapel was suddenly laced with Omega pheromones that almost made Esker freeze.

It was the scent of an Omega in heat— _ Lucias's heat _ .

"H-Hey! What the—" Baudouin covered his nose and mouth with one hand. "—did you just go into heat, Lucias?!"

"Don't—don't come any closer," Lucias panted, but his legs were weak and he crumbled onto the floor. "I-It's not supposed to happen now—"

"For Lua's sake—we should go somewhere else before everyone in the worship hall starts catching your scent—" Baudouin knelt beside Lucias and moved to grab the Omega's arm, but Lucias flinched away from the movement.

That was when Esker moved.

He raised his arm and launched his dice towards the Alpha priest, knocking Baudouin away from Lucias before he moved in towards the Omega. Esker knelt down and put an arm around the trembling Lucias, as if trying to shield him. "Don't touch him," he growled, his eyes glowing from the burst of power that he let out.

Esker could hear Lucias's breath hitch. "Esker...?" He gasped, his hands instinctively clutching on Esker's robe. "What—why—?" 

The Alpha didn't answer. Instead, he eyed Baudouin, who was moaning in pain as he laid on the floor, stunned from Esker's earlier attack. "Hey, I was just going to bring him to the Omega chambers!" He groaned.

"Doesn't matter. Don't  _ touch _ Lucias. Don't touch  _ my _ Omega," Esker hissed. With a swift movement, he lifted Lucias up bridal-style and held him close, covering him with his robe. Lucias squeaked in surprise, but otherwise didn't object when Esker's dice retreated slowly and circled around them, enveloping both men in light before they disappeared from the chapel and emerged outside the church.

"Let's get you to somewhere safe," Esker said. He tried to stay calm, but it was hard to keep his composure when Lucias's scent kept wafting around him.

"I... I have a house," Lucias choked out, his fingers curling on Esker's dress shirt. "I use it to spend my heat... It's close."

"Tell me the way; I'll take you there," Esker replied. The Omega gave him the directions, and soon, Esker was standing in front of a small house, hidden away from the hustle and bustle of the city. Esker looked down when he felt something cold nudging his hand, only to see Lucias handing him a small brass key with a purple-blue dice keychain hanging at the hole. The Alpha narrowed his eyes slightly at that, but he said nothing and took the key, unlocking the door before going inside.

The furniture inside was minimalistic; only a bed and a table and a small cupboard. Esker carefully put Lucias on the bed, suddenly feeling very conscious of Lucias's scent, and he would have left if not because Lucias didn't let go of his hand.

"Don't—don't leave," Lucias rasped. "Help me... Please."

Esker froze. "I can't," he said. "Let go, Lucias. I have to leave before your heat gets stronger and I— _ we _ lost all reasons." The Alpha tried shrugging Lucias off, but Esker forgot that Lucias could be so  _ persistent _ when he had decided on something.

"Y-You called me  _ your _ Omega," Lucias insisted. "Why?"

The younger male averted his eyes away. "...it's just a reflex," Esker told him. "I saw you being terrified of that Alpha—so I did what I have to so he'll leave you alone."

"You  _ stunned _ Brother Baudouin; he won't be able to move for at least half a day," Lucias shook his head. "It's... It's not merely a reflex, isn't it?"

Esker didn't reply. "Lucias, I need to leave," he repeated.

"No!" Lucias yelled, desperate. "I... I don't want you to go. For years, I waited... and I searched—" the Omega hiccuped. His grip on Esker's hand tightened.

The Omega was sweating and panting hard, his face flushed and tears started flowing down. He was putting up a brave front, but Esker knew Lucias was  _ terrified _ —his hands were trembling, and his scent reeked of anxiety and fear and  _ loneliness and longing— _

Esker was torn. Lucias needed the help that only an  _ Alpha _ could give to him—but at the same time, he wasn't ready to get involved with Lucias  _ yet _ . The nightmares that kept him awake for the past eight years surfaced on his mind again.

"I understand," Lucias finally whispered, defeated. "If you're disgusted with me, I won't ask you to relieve my heat. Just stay here until it dies down..." He hung his head low. "Just for a few days..."

Esker's heart dropped. He turned back and pulled the Omega into a tight hug, nuzzling on the blond hair. "I'm  _ not _ disgusted with you," he told Lucias, his voice strained. "On the contrary... You smell so  _ good _ , I... I'm afraid I'll lose control and hurt you." Esker gritted his teeth as his breath shuddered every time he smelled Lucias’s scent; every inch of his instinct screamed to  _ bite him, claim him, make him yours— _ and it took everything for Esker to resist it.

"You'll never hurt me, Esker," Lucias shook his head. "But... I don't want you to feel... obligated to me. You never came back to the village... after I told you I'm an Omega."

"It's not like that," Esker hissed, gritting his teeth. Hexipolia's taunt rang clear inside his head— _ they died because of you _ —and he took a sharp breath. "I... realised that I broke my promise with you, but I have my reasons."

Lucias closed his eyes and bit his lower lip. "Then..." His trembling hands covered Esker's, "...for now, can you stay with me until my heat's over... please?"

Although he felt reluctant, it felt like something inside Esker broke when he heard Lucias's words. Was it because Lucias was his fated pair, that he couldn't refuse no matter what?

Esker inhaled sharply and slowly nodded, his hands around Lucias tightened. "...yes. Alright, I'll stay," he whispered. He could feel Lucias relaxing in his arms, and the Omega's scent became dizzyingly sweet. "But don't blame me if something happened to you."

Lucias let out a small, muffled chuckle. "What's the worst that could happen after I suddenly got my heat in the Church...?" He leaned against Esker. "Esker, you smell so nice... It feels good to be near you." The Omega sighed and nuzzled against Esker's chest.

"It's just because I'm an Alpha," Esker replied, his hand unconsciously threading through Lucias's pale blond hair. "You have never spent your heat with one, haven't you?"

"It's different... with you," Lucias murmured. "Your scent... It makes me calm, yet at the same time... It makes me burn."

Esker was quiet for a while. "You should rest for now," he finally said, his voice strained, as he pushed Lucias back to lie down on the bed. "I'm going to—"

His sentence was cut short when Lucias sat up and pushed him down instead, a hand fumbling to unbutton Esker's shirt while the other messed with Esker's pants. Lucias was breathing hard, and when the Omega lifted his head, Esker could see Lucias's mismatched eyes unfocused and clouded with lust.

The peak of his heat had begun.

The Omega pressed his crotch against Esker's, and the Alpha hissed, hands flying to Lucias's hips immediately but he paused, hesitating on whether to grind back or push Lucias away. "... _ Lucias _ ," he gritted his teeth.

When Lucias grinded down once again, Esker let out a growl and pressed their lips together. It wasn't a gentle kiss—their teeth clashed painfully, Esker tangling his fingers on Lucias's hair and pushed him down forcefully. His other hand slipped inside Lucias's soaked pants and probed on his hole, dripping with slick. As a finger entered him, Lucias broke the kiss and cried out, trembling.

Esker's lips moved to leave marks on Lucias's jaw, on his neck, before he left a bite mark on Lucias's shoulder. The Omega moaned and shuddered as he came, gushes of slick ran down and stained his pants.

The Alpha pulled out his finger, and with a few tugs, Esker got rid of Lucias's ruined pants and threw it on the floor, before he unzipped his own pants and took out his cock. Lucias took in a sharp breath and slipped downwards, taking the cock into his mouth without any hesitation.

Esker hissed, his hand tugging painfully on Lucias's hair. "No," he growled with a commanding tone. "Get up. Turn around. Get on all fours."

Lucias whimpered as he let go of Esker's cock, but he complied with the order, crawling to turn around and show his wet hole towards the Alpha. "Esker..." Lucias gasped; the first word he uttered after the heat consumed him. " _ Please _ ..."

Without replying, Esker pushed in, and despite all the slick dripping out of Lucias, the Omega was  _ tight _ . He was only halfway in when Lucias whimpered and came again on the sheets, trembling.

Esker took the Omega's softening member into his hand. "You already came twice," he whispered. "Is it too much for you?"

Lucias shook his head. "No, no," he pleaded. "Please,  _ please _ ..."

He started stroking Lucias's cock as he pushed in once more, earning gasps from the blond. Gently Esker embraced Lucias when the Omega began sobbing, hips jerking as he was buried completely inside Lucias. "Sshh..." He nuzzled against Lucias's cheek and gave his ear a peck. "Don't cry. You're doing well; it won't hurt after a while."

Lucias turned sideways and reached for him with half-lidded eyes, and Esker bent down to lock their lips together. It gradually escalated into a deeper kiss, Esker nipping and sucking harshly until Lucias moaned into the kiss, his sobs subsiding.

Slowly Esker began rocking his hips, doing a few shallow, experimental thrusts. The Omega sighed and shivered as Esker licked his ear, whispering. "Does it hurt?"

Lucias shook his head frantically, clawing at the sheets. "More... Harder..." He moaned, meeting Esker's thrusts halfway. "Please..."

The Alpha grunted and complied, fingers gripping Lucias's hips hard enough to bruise and started thrusting with more force, earning a whine with each move. The whines soon turned into yelps as Esker pounded into him, echoing in the small room. 

Esker bent down and pressed his nose on Lucias's neck, near his scent glands, inhaling sharply. The Omega's scent was familiar and heavenly—smelling like sweet vanilla and fresh apples—that he couldn't resist it anymore.

He didn't even give a warning when he bit down on Lucias's nape, and the Omega let out a cry as cum spurted weakly out of his cock. Esker let out a grunt when Lucias tightened around him, and he also came, spilling his load inside.

The illusionist stayed still for a while, catching his breath as he came down from his orgasm, before he realised what he had done and quickly pulled out of Lucias. The Omega seemed to have been knocked out cold after; his breaths were even and his eyes closed, although the painful expression was still etched on his face.

Esker winced when he tasted blood inside his mouth, and he widened his eyes when he saw the freshly bitten wound he'd left on Lucias's nape, right on his scent gland.

"Dammit," he gritted his teeth.

He quickly dressed up, not even caring anymore at the stickiness. He cleaned Lucias up carefully, wiping him down gently so the Omega wouldn't wake up, and dressed him with a clean shirt and a pair of pants he found in the cupboard. With the first aid kit stored in the same cupboard, he disinfected the bite wound and dressed it with bandages as he fought the instinct of  _ don't cover it, it's proof that he's mine,  _ **_mine_ ** _ — _ but he squashed the thought as quickly as it surfaced.

"I'm sorry," Esker whispered as he took his robe and covered Lucias with it; hoping that the article of clothing with his Alpha scent would help Lucias for the rest of his heat.

That night, Esker left without looking back, every step on his way back towards Stardust felt heavy as his mind screamed at him to return to Lucias's side. By the time he arrived at the main tent, Esker almost collapsed from exhaustion—thankfully Ophelia was waiting for him outside, so as soon as she spotted the Alpha, she quickly approached him and held him upright.

"Esker- _ nii _ !" Ophelia exclaimed. "Get a hold of yourself, please!"

Esker laughed bitterly, and he shook his head when Ophelia stared at him, bewildered. "I already failed that," he said. "I fucked up, Ophelia."

Ophelia said nothing as he helped Esker back to his room, almost throwing him onto the bed. "Don't think about anything for now. Get some rest first, Esker- _ nii _ ," she said. "You can take a bath tomorrow, and I'll wash the clothes for you."

Of course Ophelia would know—he practically reeked with Lucias's Omega pheromone and scent—but she opted to not say anything, and Esker was grateful for that.

"...thank you, Ophelia." He murmured, covering his eyes with an arm. "I'll see you in the morning."

Ophelia nodded, and after bidding him good night, she left Esker alone with his fear—and his nightmares.

  
  


"Esker- _ nii _ , it's been almost a week—"

"I'm fine, Ophelia. This isn't the first time I've done this," Esker cut her out, as he nibbled on the bread they served for dinner, after today's show. It tasted hard and bland, much like the other food he had eaten for these past few days. The illusionist sighed as he closed his eyes and massaged his throbbing temples; a byproduct from his lack of sleep.

"No, you are obviously  _ not _ fine!" Ophelia fumed. "You can't go on like this, Esker- _ nii _ ! I know that you're—"

"Don't," Esker let out a low, warning growl. "Stop it, Ophelia."

The younger girl froze when Esker used his Alpha influence at her, and instantly, Esker felt guilty. "...I'm sorry," he stood up abruptly. It seemed that his emotions were still going out of control. "I'll go back to my room. Tell Lonian for me, Ophelia."

"Esker- _ nii _ ..."

Esker ignored her and turned towards the barracks, going to his room and locked the door, before sitting on the bed and sighed as he rested his forehead on crossed arms. The exhaustion building after five days refusing to fall asleep was starting to take a toll on his body. Ophelia was right, though—he couldn't go on like this, but the fear of nightmares visiting his sleep kept him awake. He wasn't ready to fight the nightmares off; not after what he had done to Lucias.

Lucias... It had been five days since he left Lucias alone after bonding with him. Esker wondered what happened when the Omega woke up and realised he was gone. A pang of guilt crept into his chest; Lucias looked like he was in pain when he left. How did he fare through the rest of his heat? Was he alright?

Esker's train of thoughts were rudely interrupted with a knock on his door. It might be Lonian wanting to lecture him  _ again _ —he did ask Ophelia to tell Lonian about him—but he simply wasn't in the mood to talk tonight. "I'll see you in the morning if you want to drill lectures into my ears, Lonian," he said, not lifting his head up.

There was silence for a while, and Esker thought they had gone away when he heard the sound of lock being opened. He sighed as the door swung open and muttered without moving from his position, clearly annoyed. "Didn't I tell you I'll see you in the morning, Lonian?"

"Too bad that I'm not Lonian, Esker."

Esker almost jumped from the bed when he heard the voice. He lifted his head up to see Lucias was standing at the door, clad in the robe he had left that day. Behind him, Ophelia waved at him and smiled with a guilty look on her face, before closing the door and leaving him and Lucias alone.

"Why are you..." Esker started, but he shook his head once. "No, don't answer that."

"I think you've known that I'm not here to just return your robe," Lucias said, staring at Esker with his mismatched eyes. "I'm here to talk."

Esker took in a sharp breath and gestured towards the chair. "...sit down, please."

Lucias ignored him; instead of sitting on the chair, he sat on the bed, facing Esker. The Alpha could feel his instinct reacting to such close proximity with an Omega—no,  **_his_ ** Omega.

"You didn't tell me."

"Tell you what?" Esker tried to keep his voice playful, but it was hard to maintain; not when Lucias was in front of him.

"That we're a fated pair."

Esker froze, unsure what to say. He opened his mouth, but no words came out. Lucias's gaze was becoming harder to bear, so he averted his eyes away, but the Omega held his chin and forced their eyes to meet.

"Look at me, Esker," Lucias said; there was no anger in his tone, but there was something about his calm demeanour that made Esker nervous. "Since when did you know about it? Us, being a fated pair?"

The Alpha swallowed. "Since—" he took a deep breath. "Since the time... we last met. Eight years ago."

Lucias went silent for a while. "Then why..." His voice wavered, his earlier composure dissipating. "...why didn't you tell me? You've known for so long, yet you—you left me for years!" He yelled, pulling on Esker's collar.

Esker regarded him back with a tired stare. His headache was getting worse; getting yelled at by Lucias didn't help either. "...I have my reasons."

"As if that'll suffice as an answer," Lucias growled. "Tell me! Did you—did you regret it? About me? About us?" He bit his lower lip, trembling. "Do you want to break the pair?"

"What? No!" Esker blinked, panicking at Lucias's distress. "I should be the one asking; did  _ you _ come here to break the pair?" He eyed the bandage that was still covering the Omega's nape. "I made a mistake; I marked you, when you obviously don't want it—”

"What are you saying?" Lucias cut him off. "I  _ want _ this mark, ever since you told me you're an Alpha. For eight years I waited for Stardust to come back to my village, yet... you didn't." He lowered his head. "When I was chosen as Lua's High Priest, I thought that moving to Orvel means I can see Stardust—see you more often. But... I guess being the High Priest means I can't have too much freedom. Not that I have the luxury to, considering my heat cycles." Lucias chuckled dryly.

Esker felt his throat go dry. The rest of Lucias's sentence seemed to fade out when he heard the Omega say  _ 'I want this mark' _ . "You... mean it? About wanting the mark?" He whispered.

"...Esker, you're an idiot," the Omega pouted, but he leaned down to kiss Esker's lips shyly. "Isn't it what I've been telling you since I came here? Now, it's your turn," Lucias's expression went stern. "Tell me why you avoided me for eight years."

There was a long pause before the Alpha answered. "...I wasn't avoiding you," Esker said. "I was... avoiding myself." When Lucias regarded him with a raised eyebrow, he extended his hand and summoned his dice.

"...what are these?" The Omega stared at the dice curiously. "I remember... You used these dice to stun Brother Baudouin, right? He wouldn't stop complaining afterwards," Lucias smiled.

Esker cleared his throat in embarrassment. "...anyway," he continued, "these are called Lu Etrona dice. They're inherited to generations from an illusionist called 'Hexipolia'. They granted the bearer power..." He threw the dice into the air and it bursted with small fireworks, producing blurry images of young Esker and Lucias playing at the riverbank in motion. "...but in exchange, it turns their dreams into nightmares."

Lucias carefully raised a hand to touch the image, which rippled and disappeared. "That's..."

"I can turn illusion to reality if I channel enough mana into it," Esker explained. "But the more power I use, the more horrendous the nightmares become."

"What does it have to do with you avoiding me, though?" Lucias asked confusedly.

The Alpha closed his eyes. "I inherited the dice shortly after I suspected you being my fated pair," he admitted. "The nightmares the dice fed me mostly involved you—badly wounded, or even  _ dead _ , because I can't protect you; it's the cruelest torture I can receive. At first, I tried to ignore them, but eventually, I let it sink into me, even though it was all supposed to be fake." Esker paused, glancing at Lucias.

Lucias nodded. "Keep going, Esker."

"I..." Esker took a deep breath. "I stopped performing shortly after I knew the illusions I made caused those nightmares. Instead, I turned to card games and became the Illusionist Gambler. The satisfaction of winning distracted me from the horrible nightmares about you... Albeit the tricks I used during the games were the ones causing those." He chuckled bitterly at the irony.

Esker's laugh stopped abruptly and he stiffened when Lucias wrapped his arms around him. "Esker... You don't have to keep it all by yourself anymore," the Omega said. "You have me, as your mate, now. I may not be able to protect you from those nightmares... But I'll always be here, for you."

Esker returned the hug reluctantly as he closed his eyes and inhaled Lucias's scent, sighing in content. Lucias was warm, and his scent was so comforting, emitting reassurance and warmth and relief—

—Esker felt sleepy all of sudden.

"...so you don't have to worry—Esker, what's wrong?"

"I'm sorry... Lucias. But I'll be taking a nap... for a while..." Esker muttered, feeling his consciousness fading away. He could still feel Lucias touching his cheek, yelling above him, but he couldn't hear anything anymore; soon the fatigue took over and he slipped into slumber.

  
  


It was always the same scene, over and over again. Lucias lay on the floor, on a pool of his own blood with their newly-born child in his arms. Esker knelt down to touch the Omega's cheek only to find it cold, devoid of body warmth as it should be.

_ You killed them _ , the whispering voice came back.  _ You failed to protect them. They're dead now, and it's all your fault. _

"It's not my fault—" Esker lowered his head. With trembling hands he held Lucias's stiff, cold one, squeezing it in futile attempt to restore the warmth. "Lucias..."

There was a breeze caressing his cheeks, and the Alpha was prepared to face another horror, but when he looked up, the corpses and blood were no more; instead, he was surrounded in pure white, so bright it almost made his eyes hurt.

"Esker."

Esker turned to the voice to see Lucias standing in front of him, smiling. "Why... Why are you here? This is my nightmare... Right?" He reached his hand towards the Omega slowly, afraid that Lucias would just crumble and disappear with his touch.

He almost flinched when Lucias's hand met his, but unlike the previous ones, it was warm this time. "It's alright, Esker," the Omega stepped closer and bumped his forehead with Esker's lightly. "I won't let you face your nightmares alone again. I'm here; you can rest easy."

Esker sighed in relief, burying his face on Lucias's shoulder. "...will you be here when I wake up?" He sniffled, voice muffled.

Lucias grinned. "I'll be here when you wake up," he promised, hand threading on Esker's mint-coloured hair. "Sleep well, Esker."

Esker complied and closed his eyes, and for the first time in years, he slept a peaceful, dreamless sleep.

* * *

6: extra

"...nnh..."

"Don't hold back your voice, Lucias."

"But..." Lucias's mismatched eyes were watering, hands fisting the sheets underneath him as he bit his lower lip. "...it's embarrassing."

Esker's lips curled into a mischievous smile. "Why are you? There are only two of us in here," he bent down to place a peck on Lucias's swollen lips, a hand caressing the Omega's pale, bare chest. "Let it all out. Everything about you is so beautiful, I want to make love to you every day."

Lucias pouted. "Don't try to woo me when we're having sex— _ ah _ !" The blond squirmed when Esker pinched on a nipple, cock twitching as it dripped precum on his stomach. "E-Esker!"

"Hmm...?" Esker hummed playfully, flicking the nipple and gently massaged it with his thumb, eliciting another moan from Lucias. "I'm not wooing you, I'm treasuring you. You're already mine, after all..." He withdrew his hips slightly before pushing back into Lucias's tight channel.

Esker bent down to bury his nose on Lucias's scent gland. He loved his Omega's scent of vanilla and apples, so sweet and calming. He cradled the back of Lucias's head as he gently rocked his hips, each thrust drew out a whimper from the Omega. Lucias wasn't in heat, so he didn't produce as much slick as he usually did—Esker made sure to take care of Lucias well.

"Esker..." Lucias breathed out. "Ah... It feels good..."

The Alpha smiled. "Feels good for me, too..." Esker whispered. "Too bad you're not in heat right now." He placed a hand on Lucias's stomach. "I can't wait to impregnate you, here. Fill you up with my seeds, and watch you grow while you carry our child."

Lucias took in a sharp breath as his cheeks reddened. "How are you not e-embarrassed, saying things like that?" He stammered, but then his voice went quiet. "You... want a child together with me?"

"Maybe two," Esker smirked, and Lucias hit his shoulder lightly.

"I'd be happy to..." Lucias mumbled, putting a hand on Esker's which was still resting on his flat stomach. "I can still get pregnant even if I'm not in heat. I-If you want..." He averted his gaze, embarrassed. "I'll stop the suppressants, and then we can try..."

Esker's eyes widened. He blinked a few times in surprise, before he chuckled, bending down to kiss the blond. "I love you," he whispered.

"I love you too," Lucias whispered back, keening when Esker hit his prostate. "E-Esker...! I'm—"

Esker groaned, gradually picking up the pace as he took Lucias's abandoned cock and gave it a stroke, earning louder whimpers from the older Omega. It didn't take long for them to come, Lucias spurting all over his own chest and stomach while Esker filled him up.

They spent a few moments to get down from the high and catch their breath, before Esker pulled out and lay down beside Lucias. "Are you alright?" He combed Lucias's messy blond hair aside with his clean hand.

Lucias gave him a small nod. "I'm fine... Although sometimes I think you're way too gentle with me," he pouted slightly. "I might be an Omega, but I'm a  _ man _ . I can take it harder; you don't have to restrain yourself for my sake, Esker."

The Alpha raised an eyebrow. "Does that mean that you  _ want _ to be done harder?" He asked, and laughed when Lucias threw a pillow at him. "For now, I just want to spoil you, although I'll keep that in mind."

Lucias huffed. "Please forget it, I didn't say anything," he turned his back on Esker.

The younger male smirked and wrapped his arms around Lucias, pulling the Omega's back flush to his chest. He pressed his lips on the bite mark lightly, making Lucias squirm. "Don't be embarrassed. I'm your Alpha, am I not? You are mine, and I want to cherish every side of you, Lucias."

Lucias didn't say anything for a while, but Esker could see his ears and the back of his neck turn red. "...I don't know you can be such a sap," he shyly told Esker.

The Alpha chuckled. "There's still a lot you don't know about me," he replied, "but we have forever to learn them all."

Lucias intertwined their hands together and squeezed. "Forever," he repeated.

**Author's Note:**

> come talk to me at [twitter](https://twitter.com/cup_of_comfort)!


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